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A couple celebrate 30 years of living in their Westdene family home. The Mander couple, Jim and Jo, moved from Harrow, West London, down to Westdene in June 1988 with their two sons who were 3 and 5 at the time. They moved as Jim had a job with Seeboard as an Electrical Power Engineer and they have stayed as a part of Westdene community ever since. |
They describe themselves to be from a “little family.” Jim was an only child and Jo has one brother. Jo was originally from Dorking in Surrey and Jim from Taplow Buckinghamshire. They met at Eastern Electricity, Jo was a home economics advisor and Jim was a trainee, they then moved on to work at Southern Electricity together before moving down to Westdene for Jim’s job at Seaboard.
There was a little choice in houses at the time when they moved however, it was a good time to move for them. Jo said: “We only had to find one job and no school as our boys were very young at the time, it was really easy.
So, we decided in the August holiday that we wanted to move out and Jim had found a job at Seeboard by November.”
The couple found a house on Westdene Drive which cost £78,000 at the time. Jo said: “It doesn't seem much now but it was a lot for us. We looked at one in the Branwyns which was £106,000 but we just couldn't afford it.”
Jo has also been involved in girl guiding since the 50’s and she has also been a brownie leader for 30 years since moving to Westdene. This was one of the first things she started when arriving to Westdene.
The couple remember Westdene being filled with independent businesses at the time of their arrival, which it still is today. Jim said: “When we arrived there were shops down at Eldred Avenue, the post office has always been there as far as we know and the Chinese take away, Happy Inn, and the hairdressers has always been there too.”
Jim said the thing you will find really odd is the fact there was a doctor’s surgery there. Now they have moved to Carden Avenue medical centre. The doctor's office has now been replaced by a cafe but at the time the couple remember it to be very small as the other half of the building was a green grocer.
One of the main things the couple miss about Westdene is the lack of shops there are now as most have now closed down. Jo said: “We use Asda like it’s our corner shop now.”
The town has changed a lot over the years and things such as the library and mini shops have slowly disappeared making the area a different place to live in. The couple said when they go out for walks there ‘isn’t a single sole about.’ Despite this, the couple feel a sense of community is coming back in Westdene since the re-opening of the barn.
There was a little choice in houses at the time when they moved however, it was a good time to move for them. Jo said: “We only had to find one job and no school as our boys were very young at the time, it was really easy.
So, we decided in the August holiday that we wanted to move out and Jim had found a job at Seeboard by November.”
The couple found a house on Westdene Drive which cost £78,000 at the time. Jo said: “It doesn't seem much now but it was a lot for us. We looked at one in the Branwyns which was £106,000 but we just couldn't afford it.”
Jo has also been involved in girl guiding since the 50’s and she has also been a brownie leader for 30 years since moving to Westdene. This was one of the first things she started when arriving to Westdene.
The couple remember Westdene being filled with independent businesses at the time of their arrival, which it still is today. Jim said: “When we arrived there were shops down at Eldred Avenue, the post office has always been there as far as we know and the Chinese take away, Happy Inn, and the hairdressers has always been there too.”
Jim said the thing you will find really odd is the fact there was a doctor’s surgery there. Now they have moved to Carden Avenue medical centre. The doctor's office has now been replaced by a cafe but at the time the couple remember it to be very small as the other half of the building was a green grocer.
One of the main things the couple miss about Westdene is the lack of shops there are now as most have now closed down. Jo said: “We use Asda like it’s our corner shop now.”
The town has changed a lot over the years and things such as the library and mini shops have slowly disappeared making the area a different place to live in. The couple said when they go out for walks there ‘isn’t a single sole about.’ Despite this, the couple feel a sense of community is coming back in Westdene since the re-opening of the barn.